


The Asylum

by catholicorprotestant



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Halloween, Spooky, Tooru is such a good uncle, Urban Legends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2019-01-23 01:07:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12494992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catholicorprotestant/pseuds/catholicorprotestant
Summary: Urban legends are just legends...right? That's what Tooru thought, but one night it might just be real.





	The Asylum

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xladysaya](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xladysaya/gifts).



> Hello loves! This is part of the Halloween fic exchange! I've been sooooo excited about writing this. My partner was xladysaya on here, or its-love-u-asshole on tumblr. I hope you enjoy it.

Tooru adjusted his halo of his angel costume and looked back toward his bedroom door where Hajime was helping Takeru with his surprise costume that Tooru would love. He couldn’t see it until they were ready. He leaned against the wall, examining his nails absently. This was taking forever, and all the candy would be gone if they weren’t careful. Maybe people wouldn’t give him candy, but there was nothing stopping him and Hajime from stealing Takeru’s. Giggling was coming from the room. It wasn’t fair. Takeru was _his_ nephew. And they were in _his_ room. 

“Are you two finished yet? It’s getting late, and if we miss the candy, I’m killing you both.” 

“Just a minute!” Hajime’s voice broke with laughter. 

The door opened revealing Hajime, his demon costume astray, with a smile on his face. He let out another laugh, glancing behind him. Tooru rolled his eyes, fixing Hajime’s demon costume that was in disarray after he had spent so much time on it. 

“So what’s the big surprise?” Tooru asked, trying to look behind him. 

Hajime moved to welcome Tooru into the room, bursting into another fit of laughter. Takeru was standing in the middle of his room, hands in the pockets of a white jacket. He’d put aqua tape over it in the pattern of the Seijoh team’s jackets. Tooru took in the sight. The detail that Takeru and Hajime had put into putting the tape on the white clothing. Underneath an aqua shirt with a white number one on it with white tape. 

“Do you like it?” Takeru mimicked Tooru’s peace sign and smile. 

“You’re...me?” Tooru beamed. “Oh my goodness! I am so honored.”

“You?” Takeru scoffed. “No, I’m dressing up as a loser this year.” 

Tooru gasped and dropped his jaw. Hajime died with laughter, unable to stand. Takeru winked at Tooru, walking over to Hajime and giving him a high five. Hajime put his arm around the kid. Tooru glared at them, shaking his head. This was an outrage. He smacked Hajime before jumping back, holding his hands in front of him hoping to avoid getting any retaliation. To his surprise Hajime just rolled his eyes. 

“Before trick-or-treating, how about we set the mood a little? Get things spooky!” Tooru beamed at them. Time for payback. 

“Spooky?” Takeru blinked, looking up at Hajime. He played with the zipper of his jacket. “Didn’t you say that we should go before the candy runs out, Tooru?”

“What? Are you scared?” Tooru hummed. 

“Of course not!” Takeru snapped, holding little fists at his sides. “Do your worst.”

“What do you think, Hajime? Do you want to tell ghost stories?” Tooru smirked at him. “You love that, don’t you?” 

“You’re not going to be scared, are you?” Hajime returned his smirk. 

“Nope. I live for this stuff. Come on. Besides, my older brother started the tradition.” Tooru patted the bed next to him. “Wait. We need to set the ambiance.” 

He stood up, turning on a small lamp on his desk before turning the main light off. He opened his laptop to find some eery music to play in the background, and when he was finally satisfied, he went back to bed to start the scary stories. He crossed his arms, and put a finger to his mouth as he thought. 

“Have you heard of Kuchisake-onna?” Takeru shook his head, swallowing hard. “If you’re too scared, just tell me and we can go.”

“I’m not scared!” Takeru insisted. 

“If you wish. Kuchisake-onna was a beautiful woman who was married to a samurai. He was a jealous, and abusive man, and she planned on leaving him for another samurai. When the husband learned of her affair and plans to divorce him, he took a pair of scissors and cut her mouth ear to ear, asking her ‘Who will think you are beautiful now?’” Tooru mirrored the action. “Then he killed her, before killing himself. 

“Legend has it that she will appear to you on a night just like tonight wearing a mask or scarf to cover her mouth. She will ask you, ‘Do you think I’m pretty?’ If you say no, she will kill you. If you say yes, she will remove whatever is covering her face. ‘Am I pretty now?’ If you say yes, she’ll pull out her scissors and cut your mouth like hers. If you say no, she will walk away, only to kill you later that night. You cannot run from Kuchisake-Onna. If you do, she’ll only appear in front of you. Some say if you throw coins, or candy at her, it will buy you time to run. Others say if you tell her you have a previous engagement, she will mind her manners allowing you to get away. It is rumored that you can confuse her by saying that she’s average or so-so, or even turning the question back on her asking her if she thinks you’re pretty. 

“Don’t go alone at night. She is said not to interact with groups. Nevertheless, think twice when you see a woman walking alone at night with her face covered. You just might run into Kuchisake-Onna, and she just might want to make you pretty.”

“Wow, you tell pretty good stories, Tooru,” Hajime said after a moment. 

“Of course, I do. I love to tell them.” Tooru turned to Takeru who was staring wide-eyed at him, pulling at his sleeves. “How are you doing, Takeru? Scared? If you are we can go. Otherwise, I’ll give Hajime a shot.” 

“I thought you didn’t want to miss the candy...I’m not scared though. Nope.” Takeru forced a smile. 

“Really, now?” Hajime mused, glancing at Tooru who smiled back. “I don’t know, Tooru. I think he’s scared.” 

“I do think you are correct.” 

“Psh. I am not! I’m not a baby, you know.” Takeru huffed. “I just know that Tooru wants candy.”

“I think the candy will still be there after one more story, don’t you, Hajime? I mean...if you’re not scared.” 

“I’m not!”

“Okay, then. Hajime.”

Hajime thought for a moment, humming slightly. He wanted to one up Tooru. Kuchisake-Onna was terrifying, even he and Tooru didn’t dare go out alone after hearing that story, not even to this day. Maybe she was real. There have been reports about her being seen, and even the police had partners at night. 

“Okay, I’ve got it.” Hajime grinned. “Do you know the legend of Teke Teke?” 

“No…” Takeru’s voice was a squeak. “Tell me. I promise I’m not scared.” 

“There was a young girl waiting at a train station with her friends. She was a shy and timid. Her friends played a prank on her, telling her there was a spider on her shoulder. She was terrified and startled, and fell onto the tracks. As her friends were trying to rescue her, the train pulled in, ripping her in half. It’s said that her ghost returned roaming for vengeance. She travels at night, dragging the upper torso of her body either with her hands or on her elbows. 

“The story goes that if you’re walking down the street at a night, you might hear her coming for you. Teke teke. Teke teke. You’ll see her grotesque figure, and she will come at you quickly, dragging her body toward you. You should run as far away as you can, never stopping, never looking back. Teke teke. Teke teke. If you’re not fast enough, she’ll grab you, and will kill you by slicing you in half just like her. Watch out, keep away of your surroundings, and remember, if you hear teke teke, run away from the sound.” 

Tooru highfived Hajime before getting up and turning the lights on. Takeru was still sitting on the floor, eyes darting around, pale, and shaking. He suddenly felt like an awful person for being so mean to his nephew. He was just a little kid. He was his uncle. He was supposed to protect him, and watch out for him. He kneeled down next to him. 

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m sorry. We don’t have to go out. It’s okay if you’re scared. You don’t have to hide it. What do you say we watch some of those cute movies you like, and I can go to the store and get us candy.” 

“No!” Takeru stood up, looking Tooru and Hajime in the eyes. “I said I’m not scared.” Takeru took Hajime’s hand, and pulled him toward the door, Tooru following close behind. 

The sky was turning a soft purple as the sun began to fall beyond the horizon. Kids were running around in costumes of all types. Super heroes, cartoon characters, athletes, princesses, and the typical scary stuff. Tooru had always loved Halloween, ever since he was a child. For one night a year, you could be anything. There was the air of spookiness all through October, but on Halloween it was different. It was a night for ghost stories, and trick-or-treating. It was candy, and fall dishes. It was everything. 

He stared up at the sky, admiring the beauty in it. Every year since he was little, on Halloween he’d stare up at the sky until he saw the first star. Then he would wish that just this once the aliens would come. It was a mystery as to even why he did it, but it was better not to break his habit just in case. 

A few houses dropped candy in Tooru and Hajime’s buckets, while others scolded them that it was for children. Hajime muttered to Tooru that he was pretty much a child, so he should count. Tooru could only nod. He wasn’t going to dare turn down an excuse for free candy. Takeru kept getting compliments on his costume, telling him how hard he must of worked on it, and how cute he was. Tooru was proud despite knowing that his boyfriend and nephew had conspired against him for the umpteenth time. 

Pretty soon, the sun was gone, and the stars were out, twinkling as they kept watch over the people who lived below. Most of the kids were gone, and the lights were out, a signal that there was no more candy until next year. They hit a few of the last houses before making their way back. 

Tooru hadn’t even realized how far they had walked. It was a good trek back to their house. With the silence, and stillness of the night, the stories he and Hajime and shared started to come to the forefront of his mind making him walk just a bit closer to Hajime. His eyes darted around, hoping to not see anyone in the distance knowing that it would terrify him even if he wasn’t sure if those stories were real. People had said they’d seen them. Police have seen them. They were in the news, but was it real or imagination? How would they have gotten away? His mind raced with possibilities. 

“Let’s go across the street,” Hajime muttered leading the two Oikawas across the road. 

“Why?” Takeru squeaked. 

“Just...we don’t...uh...well...Tooru?” Hajime glanced at him. 

Tooru was confused. Why were they crossing the street? He had been too busy trying to look around for anyone coming toward them, that he was completely lost. He stared at Hajime for a moment before scanning their surroundings. 

They were nearing the old hospital building at the edge of the neighborhood they lived in. There had been talk of demolishing it. It was so out of place for their residential area, an eye sore as some of the adults liked to call it, but the city still hadn’t gotten around to it, and the plans on what to do was in the air. Nobody went near it. It was rumored to be haunted. All the things of the urban legends could lurk in there. Some of the more rambunctious teenagers would go in, spraying graffiti on the walks, and disrespecting the building. 

“Oh, it’s just not a safe place to walk near. It’s been abandoned, and people can hide in there. You never know who. It’s better to just be safe.” Tooru shrugged his shoulder, putting his hands on his pockets.

“I want to go in,” Takeru said suddenly. 

“Takeru, no. It’s not safe.” Tooru’s eyes flickered from his nephew to the building. 

“What? Are you scared?” Takeru put his hands on his hips giving him a challenging look. 

“No, but I’m responsible for you tonight, and I am not going to risk anything because I will be skinned alive if anything happens to you.” 

“I’m not scared though!” Takeru insisted. “I have to you show you I’m not scared! And I can tell my whole school about how I got to go inside!” 

“Takeru, no.” 

“Please?”

“No.”

“But-”

“No. The answer is no.”

“You’re lame…” Takeru glared at the ground. 

“I don’t care. We are not going in there. It isn’t safe.”

“You’re just scared.”

“You’re right. Because that place is abandoned and unstable. It’s rotting away. You don’t know what’s going to fall on you. And criminals can be inside. I am not letting anything happen to you, so we’re going home.” Tooru closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. 

“Hajime would let me go, right Hajime?” Takeru stared up with doe eyes at the person he admired more than anything in the world. 

“I don’t know. I think I’m on Tooru’s side on this.” Hajime rubbed the back of his head.

“Please?” 

“Takeru, no. I’m the adult, and you’re the kid. I said no. Come on.” Tooru tried to grab his nephew’s hand, but Takeru ran across the street. “You little brat…” 

“Now you know what it’s like dealing with you,” Hajime laughed, walking backward toward Takeru, hands up in a shrug. “Let’s let him have his fun. He probably won’t even make it inside.” 

“I will so!” 

“If something happens to him, I’m throwing you under the bus, Iwa-chan.” Tooru rolled his eyes, and crossed his arms. 

“Fine by me. I’ll just tell them all that the two of you ran away. I’m the responsible one, remember?” Hajime turned and walked toward Takeru. “You coming, or not?” 

“Yeah, Tooru, are you coming?” Takeru was copying Hajime’s expression.

“No. I don’t want to die, thank you very much.”

“Well I guess it’ll just be me and Hajime. Have fun out here with Kuchisake-Onna and Teke Teke!” Takeru waved at him as he followed Hajime back across the street. 

Tooru chewed on his lip for a second, eyes scanning up and down the streets. Maybe Hajime was right. Takeru would get too scared before he even got in. He’d be fine out here. Those were just stories. They’d be in for a few minutes, and they’d come back and they could go home. Everything was fine. Those urban legends weren’t real. They were just imagination. 

Something rustled in the bushes next to him, making his heart practically jump out of his chest. Tooru took off after them, full sprint, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. “Wait for me!” 

The entrance was boarded up, but they had been rotted through and broken. Hajime held up the wood for Tooru and Takeru to climb in before climbing in himself. The building was cold, and damp with a smell of rotting wood mixed with mold and urine. Vagrants probably took up shelter here. The walls were ridden with graffiti. Tooru covered his nephew’s eyes at some of the more vulgar “art.” 

Hajime led the way with the flashlight on his phone. Beds, toys, furniture were abandoned there adding to the creepiness of it all. Why would they close a hospital only to leave things there? It looked like the apocalypse, like everyone just vanished in an instant leaving everything behind. The ceiling seemed to be rotting through. Fiberglass tile scattered the floor, while some were barely hanging on. A few walls had been kicked in exposing the yellow fiberglass insulation. 

The wind howled against the building as the air was bent and scattered. The ventilation ducts amplified the sound of air rustling through giving the building a sense of breathing as it came to life ready to consume them like Monster House. The sound of water dripping down was its heartbeat. 

“Let’s go upstairs,” Hajime whispered. 

“No!” Tooru hissed back. “What if we fall?” 

“Why are we whispering?” Takeru asked. 

“I don’t know…” Hajime muttered. “Let’s go. We’ve come this far.” 

Tooru clenched and unclenched his fists. This was not how he’d wanted to spend Halloween, dying in an old abandoned building where nobody would find them until they were just a pile of bones. It’d be better to die here though than to be alive for the aftermath. He followed them, not wanting to be the victim of whatever could be lurking in here. Groups were better, right?

The stairs creaked under their feet, but looked to be sound. Tooru made sure to hold onto Takeru’s hand while they both held the railing. If something were to give out, he needed to save the boy. As they ascended the stairs, the windows came into view. The panes of glass were mostly broken, and the boards covering them were hanging by a nail that was about to give out from the rust. 

On the second floor, the smell was somehow worse. He was sure there was something rotting up here, a squirrel or something. He prayed it wasn’t human remains. He’d never seen that and he wasn’t about to uncover a crime scene. There were cement pillars holding on this floor. It must have been an open bay by the looks of it. There weren’t any rooms here, just molding curtains and beds. 

Something rustled down stairs. Tooru covered him mouth to keep from making any sounds. Takeru went to say something, and Tooru covered his mouth too, pulling him closer to him. Footsteps. It was footsteps, only they were slow, dragging. Tooru stared wide-eyed at Hajime whose forehead was furrowed in concern, mouth hanging open just a little. Something rattled on the other side of the first floor, something fell, pushed. 

“I don’t think those are kids,” Tooru hissed. “We have to leave. Now.”

“And go where?” Hajime whispered back. 

He turned off the flashlight leaving them with only moonlight drifting through the slits of wood on the windows. Tooru silently thanked the moon for being full tonight, and illuminating their surroundings. Without the flashlight, the hall looked more ominous, like all monsters in known to man were lurking in the shadows about to strike at any moment.

Something metallic scraped along the concrete floors downstairs. A door was thrown open. Sounds of groans wafted up to where the three were. Takeru was trembling against his uncle. At the sound of something being thrown, he turned reaching for Tooru to pick him up which he did with just a bit of difficulty. At eight, the child was starting to get a bit too heavy to carry. Hajime pulled them to hide behind a wall the sounds got closer.

“I told you! I told you! I said we shouldn’t come in and now we’re about to be killed by ghosts.” Hajime covered Tooru’s mouth, listening. He put a finger to his lips without looking at them. 

Slowly, slowly the dragging steps grew closer along with whatever was being metal was being pulled along. Ghastly figures were seen at the foot of the stairs. They turned, climbing the steps with slow, booming footsteps. Closer. Closer. Tooru put Takeru down, kneeling down next to him. 

“If something happens, run. Get home. Don’t worry about us, okay?” Tooru brushed the tears off his face. “Hajime and I will be fine.” 

“No! No, I want you to come with me!” Takeru whispered through his sobs. 

“I will if I can, but if not, go home. Call the police, and call your parents okay?”

“No.” Takeru pawed at him. 

“Shhhh, be as quiet as you can.” 

Takeru nodded, and put his hands over his mouth to muffle the sounds of his ragged breathing. Tooru pushed him behind him, hands on the boy’s shoulders to keep him hidden, and in place until it was time. Tooru could only watch in horror as the figures continued up, step by step. Tooru shook his head, tears pouring down his cheeks. He should have known. He shouldn’t have gone in. He knew it was a bad idea, and now his nephew was in serious danger. It was all his fault. 

The figures had scaled the steps, and were now walking in jerking, twisted movements in their direction. Hajime took a step back almost running into Tooru. Loud, pained groans filled his ears. He closed his eyes begging for a way out. There was so much he wanted to do. He wasn’t ready to die. Would Takeru run? He had to. He had to make sure he ran as fast as he could. If his nephew was safe, that was all that mattered. Suddenly the creatures were in front of them, and grabbed Hajime and Tooru. 

“Now!” Tooru pushed Takeru away from him. “Run.” Takeru started to run only to be scooped up by one of the monsters. He screamed and pushed at his captor. 

“Shit! Takeru’s with you guys?” Makki said at the same time. He illuminated the room with his phone’s flashlight.

“Hey, it’s okay, Takeru. It’s me. It’s Mattsun. I’m sorry.” 

Takeru was a sobbing mess, reaching for Tooru who took him, glaring at his friends...ex-friends. He didn’t say a word as he tried to calm his terrified nephew. Hajime punched each of their friends giving them some choice words. Their friends both tried to apologize, but Tooru wasn’t having it. They had traumatized his nephew. He wasn’t ever speaking to them again unless he had to. He turned and walked down the stairs, annoyed at the fact the others were following them. 

“We didn’t know you had Takeru with you! I swear!” Mattsun was saying as they made their way out. “We would have never done it if we had seen him.” 

“Yeah, we happened to be walking down the street, and we saw Hajime holding the wood up, and Tooru climbing inside. I guess Takeru had already gone in when we saw you guys,” Makki explained. 

“It was just supposed to be a funny prank…” 

Tooru whirled around. “Well he was. And it wasn’t. Look at him!” 

“I swear on my grandmother’s life we didn’t know. Takeru, dude, I’m so sorry…” Mattsun rubbed his back, and Takeru only clung to Tooru tighter. 

“How were we supposed to know?” Makki asked throwing his hands in the air. “Who would bring an eight-year-old in there?”

“Hajime.” Tooru glared at him. 

“You were both in there,” Mattsun pointed out. 

“Because they weren’t listening!” Tooru shook his head. “Whatever. I hate you both.” 

He walked down the street, hoping Takeru was calmed down enough when they got home. Tooru was so grateful that he had Takeru alone tonight with Hajime. His parents and Takeru’s parents were both attending a party out of town with Tooru’s brother’s company. They’d decided to let the two teens watch Takeru alone since Hajime’s parents were right across the street. The prank might as well been real because he would have been slaughtered on the spot bringing the kid home like that. 

The four boys walked silently, Takeru’s sniffles and ragged breath being the only thing interrupting it. Tooru found himself starting to relax, the rage leaving him as Takeru relaxed against him until he’d cried himself to sleep. As they turned onto Hajime and Tooru’s street, the conversation started. 

“Admit...if Takeru wasn’t there it would have been a pretty hilarious prank,” Mattsun grinned. 

“Nope.” Tooru shook his head. 

“It would have been a little funny…” Makki dug his hands into his pockets. 

“It was a pretty good prank. You really got us,” Hajime admitted with a small chuckled. 

“I don’t want to die of a heart attack,” Tooru muttered shifting Takeru’s weight in his arms. 

“Dramatic, aren’t we?” Mattsun laughed. 

“Shove it.”

“Aw come on! You’re still mad?” Makki asked.

“Yes. And I’ll never forgive you for doing that to my poor, precious nephew. He is the light of my world.” 

“Dramatic,” the three friends said at the same time. 

Hajime unlocked Tooru’s front door, opening it so that Tooru could go in first. Mattsun and Makki tried to step in. 

“I hear there’s no parents. Movie marathon staying up as late as we want?” Mattsun asked only to be stopped by Hajime. 

“Neither of you are welcome. Go home.” Hajime stared at them hard.

“But-”

“Have fun with Kuchisake-Onna and Teke Teke!” Tooru said in a sing-song voice before kicking the door closed. 

The house was silent. Hajime flipped on all the lights in the house to make it a little less scary for Takeru who was still asleep. Tooru took him to his bedroom, and laid him down, taking off his jacket and wig. He kneeled next to him, a smile dancing on his lips. He was so happy it was only a prank, and his nephew was okay. He loved him so much, and it was just a little kid. He stood up to go, when Takeru stirred. 

“Tooru?” Takeru mumbled without opening his eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” 

“I wanna be just like you.”

“Go to sleep, sweetheart.” 

“Can you stay with me?” Takeru rubbed his eyes, still half asleep. 

“Of course. Let me get changed and tell Iwa-chan, okay?” 

“Mmm.” 

Tooru found Hajime standing in the bathroom in just sweatpants and an undershirt, taking off the face paint. He slipped in next Hajime, brushing his teeth and washing his face. They were silent for the most part. 

“You were really brave back there,” Hajime said suddenly. 

“What do you mean? I was _terrified_.” 

“With Takeru, I mean. You were so composed with him, didn’t let him know. You were really willing to die so he could get away. That’s something.” Hajime leaned against the counter, beaming at him. 

“Of course. He’s my nephew.” 

“I know.” Hajime pulled him into a hug, and kissed him softly. “It made me realize how much I love you.”

Tooru giggled. “Aw, Iwa-chan is getting soft.”

“Shut up.” Hajime shoved him playfully. 

“Sorry to say, my dear, but no cuddling tonight. Takeru wants me to stay with him, so floor, couch, or my parents room.” Tooru picked up his things. 

“I’ll pick the floor. To keep you two safe.” 

“Oh what a knight in shining armor.” Tooru winked. 

They walked into Tooru’s room and got settled. Tooru pulled Takeru to his chest, holding him tight to keep him safe. He pressed a kiss to his nephew’s head before drifting to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hoped you liked it, and the spooky aesthetic. 
> 
> Happy Halloween! May it be fun and spooky. Stay safe. 
> 
> Please leave a comment! <3


End file.
